The Cabritos' peak (Goatling peak)

In one of the most beautiful oceanic regions of Rio, painting the sea region of beaches with the contrast of an exuberant green, the Cabritos' peak lies in a small park named Parque Natural da Prainha, as a prolongation of the Pedra Branca State Park, created very recently.


Its rocky wall stands out in the middle of the green rising imponent over the sea below.

In the start of the trail, suddenly comes a very steep ascent scaring even veterans, but relief comes soon and our enthusiasm increases when we find out the trail keeps skirting on the rocky wall.

It is not hard to find nice coloured spiders and serpents in this area. Brilliant beetles is a constant. But the most impressive is the vegetation in the wall that seems like a suspended garden!

After about 40 minutes hiking up, the trail changes to rock giving us signs that summit is coming. The deep forest takes place to smaller and thorny shrubs. This time is for real! We have to cross an abyss with thorny plants behind. The landscape rises up as an enchant. The summit is amazing! Many cactus and the full oceanic region of view!

Circuito Morro do Archer x Grutas x Ruínas do Humaitá / Loop Hike at Tijuca National Park (Archer hill x Caves of the Forest x Humaitá Ruins

É um dos circuitos que considero mais interessantes no Parque Nacional da Tijuca, pois além de ser feito praticamente todo na sombra, bom para dias quentes de verão, passa por lugares fantásticos como a encosta do Morro do Archer: um paredão abrupto rochoso no meio da floresta úmida e exuberante, onde se observa diversas espécies vegetais interessantes e onde também alguns animais podem ser vistos com mais facilidade. Anfíbios coloridos, grandes borboletas azuis típicas da região, libélulas e macacos pregos são quase certos.

As grutas existentes na Floresta da Tijuca são comumente graníticas, ou seja, foram formadas por desmoronamentos. A mais interessante é a Gruta dos Morcegos, que possui um enorme salão com uma clarabóia que, com a ajuda da temperatura e umidade do seu interior, cria um efeito projetando um bonito feixe de luz no meio a escuridão.

Partindo dali, segue o circuito num constante sobe e desce em direção às ruínas do Humaitá. O caminho passa por um rio e uma belíssima queda d’água, onde dá na conhecida Cascata Gabriela.

A trilha que margeia o paredão rochoso é íngreme às vezes e pouco usado, desemborcando na trilha que leva às grutas já bem conhecidas.


English

It's a circuit that I find most interesting in the Tijuca National Park, as it is done ​​in almost all in shade, good for hot summer days. It goes through fantastic spots as the slope of Archer’s hill: a steep rocky cliff in the middle of rainforest, where we observe various interesting plant species and also some animals which can be seen more easily. Colorful amphibians, large blue butterflies typical of the region, dragonflies and monkeys nails are almost certain.

The trail that borders the rocky wall is steep at times and hardly used, dropping in the beaten trail which leads to the caves.

The caves existing in the Tijuca Forest are commonly granitic: formed by landslides. The most interesting is the Cave of Bats (Gruta dos Morcegos), which has a huge hall with a skylight, with the help of the temperature and humidity inside, creates an effect designing a beautiful beam of light in the darkness.

From thence, the circuit follows in a constant up and down towards the ruins of Humaita. The path passes by a river and a beautiful waterfall, which takes the well known Cascade Gabriela.